Today, when we remember Henry Ford we think of a hero; a man so creative and inventive that some of us could only hope to ascend his level of integrity. But these attributes can only be viewed in our history books. In the beginning Ford was of course everything we have learned about but as he grew older, as the company matured, his mood became austere and bitter. There, as most see it, is always room for improvement. But when possible enhancements to his automobiles presented themselves, Ford was personally offended. He equated the cars to his ego, his achievements, himself and so when his colleagues suggested that he modify small aspects on the cars he would become angry and lash out on whatever or whoever was within reach. Along with his colleagues he also became even crueler to his son, Edsel.
It had always disappointed Ford that his son did not possess the same fervor for business domination as he himself had developed and so Ford made it his personal task to make Edsel’s life as difficult as possible. After Ford stepped down as president of the company to simply be the owner, Edsel stepped up but Ford would not allow him to completely fulfill his role. Ford would undermine his decisions, encourage other executives to question him whenever possible, and placed roadblocks wherever he could. Henry Ford died on April 7, 1947 just two years after his decision to retire. He and his wife Clara whom he referred to as “Callie,” remained married for 59 years until his death. While his personality did seem to decay, his business still survives as does his legacy of being a successful businessman, intermittent philanthropist, and renowned American industrialist.
The Business plan on Ford Corporation
... the same roof. In 1915 Henry Ford’s son, Edsel Ford joined his father in the company. Edsel brought to the company the ... Ford passed the presidency to Edsel Ford in 1919. Henry Ford reassumed the leadership after the death of Edsel in 1943. After Henry Ford resigned, Henry Ford ... necessary in this industry. Edsel wanted stylish and beautiful vehicles to carry the Ford brand. Henry Ford II with he help ...
Henry Ford: Driven and sometimes dangerous. .Authors:Frost.Source:Biography, Jan2000, Vol. 4 Issue 1, p92, 6p, 9 Color Photographs, 8 Black and White Photographs.Document Type:Biography.Subject Terms:FORD, Henry, 1863-1947 FORD Motor Co.
AUTOMOBILE industry.Abstract:Profiles automobile maker Henry Ford. Character traits Ford is well remembered for; Birth; Family background; Incorporation of Ford Motor Co. in 1903; Mass production of the Ford Model T; Change of Henry’s personality from openness to egocentricity, rigidity, paranoia and cruelty; Anti-semitism; Damage inflicted upon his son Edsel; Decline of the company due to his rigidity; Removal from the company; Death. INSET: More about Henry Ford…Lexile:1110.Full Text Word Count:2467.ISSN:10927891.
Accession Number:2646988.Database: MasterFILE Pr The automobile era began in 1908 when Henry Ford introduced a rugged little vehicle called the Model T. Soon, Ford cars were everywhere, and theirs sound — chuckachuck”– became a new soundtrack for America. Today, Henry Ford is venerated as one of the great business tycoons of our history, remembered not only for his introduction of cars to the masses, but for his invention of new manufacturing techniques, his generous wage policies, and his philanthropy. Largely forgotten now, it seems, is the dark and tragic side of this industrial genius.
Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863, near Dearborn, Michigan, a few miles west of Detroit, the eldest of six children of William Ford and Mary Litogot Ford. William Ford was a native of County Cork, Ireland, where he grew up surrounded by discrimination and suffering. He fled to America when he was 21 and was amazed at the New World’s freedom and cheap land. He poured his heart and soul into his farm, and he passed on to his son a passion for labor and success. Work became the centerpiece of Henry’s life. In later years he would regularly say things like, “It is always too soon to quit.”
As a boy, Henry loved repairing machinery. In 1876, when he was 13, he saw his first “road roller,” a big steam engine that chugged along country roads and performed farm chores. It was, for Henry, a primal glimpse of power and mobility, and he began dreaming of creating his own machine that would get somewhere. He began building engines in the 1880s, and by the ’90s was one of a legion of inventors working on horseless carriages. As he held down a full-time engineering job at an electrical plant in Detroit, he used his spare hours to build motors and a prototype car, often working with other young auto buffs.
The Essay on Ford Motor Company
... and the magnitude of his ego. Though Henry would not wrest sole control of Ford Motor Company--the automobile manufacturer he founded with twelve investors ... T into the best selling car in history.Henry Ford had originally won financial backing for Ford Motor Company by racing cars and he turned to racing ...
The challenge that faced these pioneers was daunting: Virtually every component had to be built from scratch. There were no decent carburetors sitting on store shelves waiting to be used, nor were there proper bearings, wheels, batteries, spark plugs, brakes, steering mechanisms, camshafts, crankshafts, piston rings, or gears.
Ford labored on his first car in a little brick shed behind his house, working with a creative passion akin to that of a great artist, and with a will to succeed that he had learned at his father’s knee. “We often wondered when Henry slept,” recalled a friend. His wife, Clara, whom he had married in 1888, supported him with total faith. He called her “the Believer.” Finally, in 1903, after a couple of false starts, he and his partners incorporated Ford Motor Company and started selling a few cars.
The automobile market was still tiny in those years. Most autos were either inexpensive vehicles lacking power and reliability (early Fords were among the better entries in this category) or expensive hand-built numbers that were out of reach for ordinary people. Most automakers felt the industry’s future would be limited to luxury vehicles.
